Knicks ‘Melo intends to opt out of contract

NEW YORK – Carmelo Anthony is putting himself on the free agent market.

Anthony has informed the New York Knicks of his long-expected plans, two people with knowledge of the details said Sunday.

Anthony had until Monday to terminate the final year of his contract. He filed the paperwork on Friday, one of the people told AP on condition of anonymity because no official announcements were made.

Anthony has repeatedly said he planned to explore free agency this summer. Team president Phil Jackson told the All-Star forward after the season he may want to delay the decision and play out the final year of his deal, which would have paid him $23.3 million, but Anthony is going ahead with his previous plans.

He told the Knicks he was sticking to his intentions during a recent meeting in Los Angeles with Jackson, general manager Steve Mills and new coach Derek Fisher, and has now made it official.

He will be eligible to negotiate with teams starting July 1.

Teams such as Chicago, Houston, Dallas and Miami have been mentioned as potential suitors for Anthony, a two-time Olympic gold medalist who led the NBA in scoring in 2012-13.

Anthony has never said he wanted to leave New York but said his biggest priority is signing with a team that he believes can contend for titles.

The Knicks went 37-45 last season, the first time Anthony missed the playoffs in his 11-year career, and have little financial ability to upgrade the roster this summer.

The Knicks can offer Anthony, whom they acquired from Denver in a blockbuster trade in February 2011, more than $20 million more than any team. But Anthony has said he would be willing to take less than a maximum salary for a chance to win, and Jackson has said he hopes Anthony sticks to that.

Anthony never truly got to experience the full free agency process, signing an extension of his rookie contract in 2006, then extending that deal as a condition of the trade to New York, and has said that is something that interests him.